When my zeide’s father — R. Avraham HaLevi of Borshtzovk — weakened, my uncle Rav Shneur Zalman traveled from Korma to visit him. He remained there several weeks until returning home, for he served as a rov in Korma. My father, who was standing there when my uncle parted from his zeide Avraham, heard him say, “ Nu, the first thing is: Be healthy!” And he added, with a nigun, “If not, don’t be afraid of any angel or any seraph — only of Hashem Himself. ”
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Stories from As I Heard Them (Lesheima Ozen) by Reb Zalman Duchman · © The Duchman Family; please share this sheet as printed
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Stories for the week
Parshas MaseiBe Healthy — And Fear Only HashemAs I Heard Them, Vol. 1, p. 295, no. 25 On Foot from Krasnoye: Shavuos 5674 in LubavitchAs I Heard Them, Vol. 1, pp. 143-144, no. 15 In the summer of 5674 (1914 ) the railroad added a fourth class that was half the cost. Normally from Homil to Krasnoye one paid four rubles and five kopeks, but now it was only half as much. I had wanted to go for Shavuos. Taking my tefillin and heading for the train, I told my brother that that evening he should say that I had left for Lubavitch.20 When I returned from Lubavitch, my zeide told me, “You acted correctly; sometimes you have to do things that way. But me — you should have told! I would have given you a three-ruble note for the way!” From Krasnoye I went on foot to Lubavitch. The spiritual pleasure of that Shavuos was extraordinary. The Rebbe — it was the mourning period for his mother, Rebbetzin Rivkah — led the davening [ during the weekdays ]. Such a baal mochin, such a wondrous mind he possessed! Yet, one time, while reciting the Shema and saying “ echad” in deep thought — he snapped his fingers.
The Train That Went to SiberiaAs I Heard Them, Vol. 1, p. 442, no. 41 Continued from the biography of R. Zalman Duchman: R. Zalman and his family suffered terribly from the constant bombing and hunger in Leningrad. As the war raged on, many people tried desperately to leave the city and flee to a more central (and hopefully safer) place. R. Zalman managed to secure tickets on a cramped and crowded train to Tashkent in Central Asia, where many chassidim had fled. However, instead of taking them to Tashkent, the train headed to some unknown destination in Siberia. The crew ordered everyone off the train and made it clear that this was the final destination. Left without a choice, the angry passengers disembarked. R. Zalman, Chaya Grunya and young Yisroel found themselves unprotected in the Siberian wastelands, not knowing where to turn. A local gentile woman was impressed by R. Zalman, and she invited the family to her home and cared for them for a long while. Thus, R. Zalman and his family were saved from hunger and from the bitter elements. It was in this nameless village that Yisroel celebrated his bar mitzvah. |